CC's secret
by BeHiNdThEsHaDoWs45
Summary: Fran has a terrible dream which causes a secret from C.C.'s past to be revealed. STORY COMPLETE!
1. She reveals it

C.C. sorted through a bunch of papers, glancing over at Maxwell who was talking to Fran on the telephone. C.C. was no longer in love with Maxwell, she had come to think of him as an english prep. He yelled at her everyday, and she was quite sick of it. Sighing, she placed the sorted papers on his desk, and manuevered toward the door to go downstairs to see if Niles would get her a glass of lemonade. "Slacking off again C.C.?" said Maxwell. You're the one on the phone all day talking to your nanny she thought. (Fran had gone to Paris to cool off, and she would be back tomorrow morning.) Sighing, she replied, "No Maxwell, I'm just going to get something to drink." Red in the face, she headed down the stairs. She was on good terms with Fran, she kind of felt sorry for the woman, marrying such a bad- tempered pretty boy. She strolled into the kitchen, to find Niles wiping down the counter. "Hey Windex" she said, startling Niles, deep in thought about his career, "I need to cool off......I've been working all day in that office with Richy Rich, not that your any better Cinderella, but you are of some use....I need something to drink...perhaps lemonade?" "Wow" he said sarcastically, "the wicked witch actually drinks things other then people's blood." C.C. shot him an exasperated look and he hastily poured lemonade into a glass for her. Taking it C.C. said with a fake bow, "my thanks to you the almighty lysol" Niles made a face and C.C. headed back to the office. C.C. sat down on the small couch in Maxwell's office and began to sort through another stack of papers, while sipping lemonade. Maxwell sat at his desk, doing nothing, just tapping his pencil and saying under his breath, "Andrew Loyd Webber will never beat me again. Not ever" It was eight o clock. C.C. was happy to leave the hostile office. She went downstairs and saw Niles standing by the door, her coat in hand. As she gestured for him to give it to her, Niles tossed it on her shoulders and said, "bye bye baby" C.C. rolled her eyes. He had been doing that a lot lately, like she was going to be fired or something. She chuckled under her breath. Like that would happen. After the taxi dropped her off in front of her apartment she was very tired. She walked in, and flopped down on the couch, exasperated. She threw off her coat and jacket, leaving her sleeveless turtleneck and long black skirt on. She was surprisingly thin, but hid it with clothes, and she didn't know quite why. She pulled her hair out of it's bun, and let the golden curls fall down to her mid-back. C.C.'s phone rang. It was Fran. The sometimes annoying nasally voice was comforting to her, after working all day with Maxwell.  
  
CC: hello? Fran: hey CC: hey, how's paris?? Fran: oh its beautiful, I really let off some steam, and they've got a lot of lobster here. Ma is going to be so jealous. CC: I'm sure Fran: So how's work going? CC: It's alright Fran: You're lying CC: No I'm not Fran: Yes you are....now tell me the truth, the total and complete truth CC: Oh my god I'm so glad I can tell you. Max has just been horrible. I am so serious. Don't worry Fran, I don't want him anymore. I don't know what I ever saw in that man. He slacks off all day and tells me I'm not doing any work. Lysol hasn't been too pleasant either.....well he's never pleasant. God! Fran: Well, I better give Max a good talking too then. Anyway I'm sorry I won't call during work hours any more alright? Any way, I have to board my plane in an hour so I better go CC: Ok, thanks. I'll see you in the morning alright? Bye Fran: bye  
  
C.C. hung up the phone and slumped back onto the couch. "Oh, god." She changed into a nightgown and went to bed. The next morning she got up early. She would be very cranky, she could tell. She brushed her hair. Then she had an idea. She would surprise Fran. She grabbed her only black miniskirt from her teen years and put it on. She put on black tights and heels, and then she put on a white tanktop and a black jacket. She looked at herself in the mirror, after applying mascara. She looked like a blonde version of Fran. She would surprise her friend, but still she would be tired today. C.C. took a cab to Max's place. She walked up to the door and knocked. Niles answered. He stared for a moment. He staggered back, and dramatically clutched his heart. "I-I-It burns!!" he cried extravagantly covering his eyes. She glared at him and slapped him on the arm. "Shutup" she said angrily. He took her coat and tossed it in the closet carelessly. C.C. turned around and faced him. "Where's Fran?" she said lightly. Niles pointed to the kitchen, and as she walked away from him he stuck his tongue out at her. "Hello Hello" said C.C. striding into the kitchen dramatically. Fran, at the breakfast table stood up and grinned. "Great outfit! Oh my god! You have a great figure! Tell you what, let's go shopping this Saturday." "Ok" said C.C. and they both hugged. Maxwell came down the stairs. "Hello my darling" he said planting a kiss on her lips, and then said, "C.C.- OH MY GOD C.C.!!!!!!!!! Wow....well...you sure take after my wife." I'm surprised you have one thought C.C. As soon as Fran left, Maxwell turned to her with an angry look on his face. "C.C.!!! By god! I don't love you, I love Fran! Stop trying to take after her!" C.C., still in her cranky state turned to him with a sarcastic smile. "Ohhhhhh, Maxwell, you've got everything so mixed up," she said, letting out one of her low laughs, "hun, yes of course I liked you but now dear, I see what a low-life man you are. Arrogant and rich. Well, I must go upstairs to do work cough work you never do cough ." She smirked at him and jogged upstairs. Niles, who had been listening, grinned. Maxwell Sheffield had it coming. He stood there, in awe. He ran up the steps after C.C. "C.C. I will not take that kind of talk," he said after he reached the office where she was sorting more papers, "but I'm willing to let that go. Anyway, Friday night there is a parents dinner. It is for all the playwrights, and I need you to bring a parent, so I look good in front of Andrew Loyd Webber. "Maxwell," said C.C. (sort of offended that Maxwell thought that he was the boss) "my mother is dead." "I know," he said softening his tone, "that's why I'm suggesting that you bring your father." C.C. nearly choked on the cracker she was eating. "M-my father?" she said holding back tears from the painful flash backs she was having. "C.C.? Are you alright?" asked Maxwell. Taking a deep breath, C.C. said, "Yes, I'm fine Max. I-I just can't bring my father." Maxwell's face darkened. "Does Sheffield-Babcock Productions mean anything to you C.C.?" C.C. suddenly sat up, shocked at his coldness. "Of course it does Maxwell!" she said clutching her chest, "Very much! I-I just can't bring- I can't bring him." Maxwell shook his head in desperation, and rested his chin on his hands. "M-maybe I could take Sylvia" she said, trying to make Maxwell relax for once in his proper, pampered, uptight life. He shook his head. "You are not mooching off my wife just because you have a dysfunctional family- no wait your family's not dysfunctional......they just hate you" He laughed in his annoying, English way. C.C. took a deep breath, tears welling up at the back of her eyes. "Well if that's how you feel about me Maxwell" she said in a shaky voice, "I QUIT!" she screamed this so loud, the neighbors across the street could hear it. Fran and Niles however, did not. "C.C. wait!" Maxwell called after her as she fled down the stairs. She fled past Fran, who was in shock, then quickly to the living room. She tore open the closet door and rummaged through it, and got her coat. She threw it on, hyperventilating like mad, and then slammed the closet door shut. Niles came down the stairs, unaware of C.C.'s state, and started with comments of sarcasm. "Oh look it's the Ice Queen" he said snidely but before he could finish C.C. yelled, "SHUTUP SHUTUP SHUTUP! JUST SHUTUP!" She burst into a fit of tears then ran out of the house and slammed the door shut. C.C. ran home, bumping into quite a few people, but she didn't care. She burst into her apartment and immediately slumped to the floor, sobbing. She would not think about her father. Never. Maxwell's comment had hurt her so much....................she sobbed more into her red carpet. When she had calmed down she sat against the wall for a while, sniffling. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She got up and threw off her coat and then checked the caller id. It read: MAXWELL SHEFFIELD. She picked up the phone and hung it up. She quickly went into her bathroom and undressed. She started a bath, and just when she lowered into it the phone rang again. She ignored it. She heard Fran's nasally voice on the answering machine. She sighed and closed her eyes. She didn't want to think of her father. I never want to think of him, I wish I never knew him, I wish he wasn't my father she thought. Of course he was still alive. He moved to Florida with her mother, who had just recently died. C.C. started to have another flashback. She shook her head, trying to rid of it. It continued, and C.C. was once again in tears. The bathtub water was cold by now so she got out, shivering, goosebumps covering every inch of her body. She pulled a soft white robe around herself, and wrapped a towel around her wet hair. She dried off and put on her pink nightgown. It was only six o clock, but C.C. was tired. She went into her room and combed her wet hair and then put it back in a tight bun. She lay down in her bed and fell asleep. C.C. only slept two hours. At eight o clock she awoke to the phone ringing. She ran out to the living room and saw that it was from Maxwell....again. There were about ten messages on her machine. She picked it up. It was Fran.  
  
CC: what is it Maxwell? Fran: It's me.....Maxwell told me what happened and I gave him a good talking to CC: Oh, thanks Fran but I think I've made my decision Fran: Oh CC! Please don't quit because of my tempermental husband CC: Oh Fran its not just that I just feel that I have to move on.....you know find that special someone......I'm going to bring my resignation over tomorrow morning Fran: I understand CC CC: thankyou Fran: But why can't you bring your father to the parent dinner? CC: Because, Fran......my father.......... Fran: yes? CC: I really rather not tell you Fran: I'm surprised at you! CC: huh? Fran: Now I understand why Maxwell was so tempermental with you!! You always make up stupid reasons to slack off!! He might slack off sometimes but you...you....you sicken me! I'm glad your quitting!!! I'll see you in the morning...and I'll be damn lucky to be rid of you forever!! Goodbye CC  
  
The line went dead. C.C. struggled not to cry. She didn't sob, but many tears ran down her cheeks. She went back to bed. The next morning C.C. woke up, wishing all that happened was a dream. She sighed heavily when she realized it wasn't. She pulled her hair out of the bun, and let it cascade down her neck. She pulled on some tight jeans and a black belly shirt. She pulled on a jean jacket and clipped her curls back. She grabbed her resignation off the counter and walked out of her apartment. C.C. decided to drive her car. She hadn't in a while, and she felt this was the right time to. She drove over to the Sheffield residence and knocked on the door lightly. Niles answered, but this time no sarcastic comments escaped his lips. C.C. jogged up the steps and ran into Fran. Fran gave her a horrible look and escorted her to Maxwell's office. When C.C. opened the door, she was greeted by a cold look in Maxwell's dark brown eyes. If only they knew she thought painfully. She carefully placed it on his desk. Niles came up with Maxwell's lunch and walked by C.C. as if she was not there. As C.C. turned to leave, Maxwell gave her a final comment. "You know," he said in a rude tone, "you may have issues in your family, but that doesn't mean you have to inflict them upon me. I refuse to be embarrassed by a business partner who's family hates her. My father ignored me, but at least he doesn't hate me. I wasn't an ungrateful little child which I'm sure you were. At least my father didn't have a child with qualities such as yourself." Maxwell finished with a satisfying grin and a pat on the back from Fran. C.C. dug her finger nails into her palms so hard they bled. Her chin trembled as she turned around and yelled in front of Fran, Niles and Maxwell, "AT LEAST YOUR FATHER DIDN'T RAPE YOU!!!!" Fran gasped but C.C. fled out of the house. She got in her car and shoved the key in the ignition. She sped down the road so fast she left tire tracks on the road. After about two miles C.C. lost control of the wheel. The car swerved into something then exploded. C.C. was shot out of the car and onto the sidewalk blood streaming from her head, and she didn't wake up. It was eight o clock pm at the Sheffield residence. Fran was sitting on the couch, feeling guilty about all of what was happening. She had no idea C.C. was sexually abused by her father! How horrible! And the things her and Maxwell had said............... Fran had tried to call about five times but no one answered the phone. Fran walked upstairs. She needed to talk to her best friend. She knocked on Niles' door. He told her to come in. He was busy making his bed. Niles sat on the bed, ready to listen. "I've been thinking about all that happened today......and I just feel so bad!" said Fran dramatically and then burst into tears. Niles held her. "How horrible for her!" said Niles in a sympathizing tone, "I always felt something special for Ms. Babcock.........god I can't believe her father...........I would kill him if I could!!!" Fran snuggled into his embrace. "Your such a good friend Niles" she said, her voice slightly shaking. After that, Fran went to see Maxwell. She found him sitting at his desk. "I feel so awful" he said, shaking his head. Fran wrapped her arm around him. Just then the phone rang. Fran picked it up.  
  
Fran: Hello? Worker: Hello this is St. Mary's hospital, is this the Sheffield residence? Fran: Yes it is Worker: Do you know a Chastity Claire Babcock? Fran: Yes! I-Is there something wrong? Worker: I'm afraid so Fran: what happened?? Worker: Ms. Babcock crashed into a car and it exploded. She was fortunately thrown onto the sidewalk but she suffered serious head injuries. It's about a fifty-fifty chance she will live Fran: Oh my god we'll be down there right away!!  
  
"What happened darling?" said Maxwell, trying to calm down his now panicking wife. "C.C. s-she.........." Fran blubbered, "SHE WAS IN A CAR CRASH AND SHE HURT HER HEAD AND THERE IS A FIFTY PERCENT CHANCE SHE WILL LIVE!!!" Fran sobbed, nuzzling up into her husbands chest. A few tears ran down Maxwell's face and they rushed to go tell Niles. He was severely devastated and in shock, but they piled into Maxwell's car and drove down to St. Mary's. When they finally got to the hospital, all three burst through the double doors, calling everyone they knew to come there. They got onto the elevator and rode up to the floor C.C. was in. They waited in the sitting room for the doctor. Soon, Sylvia, Morty, Yeta, Maggie, Michael, Brighton, Gracie, Mai, Maxwell's parents and brother, and Val arrived. Fran was on Maxwell's lap, as he stroked her stomach, talking to their soon-to-be-born twins. The doctor finally came out, his head in his hands. "Hello all" he said to the anxious crowd, "there is some good news and some bad news. The good news is....C.C. is going under surgery in Intensive Care. The bad news is, her chances of surviving have gone down to 25 percent. Fran wailed and Niles clutched his heart. The doctor said he would come and get them when the surgery was done. Fran and Max cried together, Maxwell's mother silently weeped, and Niles was tramatized, all he did was stare off into the distance. The kids went down to eat and finally the doctor reappeared. He said that she could have visitors, and she was awake, but very weak. Fran walked into the hospital room, her heart jumping up into her throat. C.C.'s eyes were open and she looked at Fran and said in a very sick way, "Hi" Fran burst into tears and ran to her side. "I had no idea C.C.!!!!! I'm so sorry!!" Fran wept at her side. C.C. cried too, but forgave her. Niles came into the room, his face laden with depression. "Niles?" she said very weakly, her throat almost closing up. "I love you Miss Babcock!" he said rushing to her side and crying. He lay slightly on the cot beside her and held her in his arms. She began to cry. "I love you too." She repeated that over and over again. Niles kissed her. It was so amazing, so passionate it was almost like C.C. was in heaven. She clung to him for a long while and then, out of nowhere, Niles heard a long beep. He looked up at the heart monitor, only to see the line had gone flat. He burst into tears, and held her limp body to him forever. He finally released her on the bed, giving her one more kiss. He walked out of the room and the crowd saw the angst on his face. Everyone started crying. It was the most emotional time ever. At C.C.'s funeral, Fran felt like she could just take C.C.'s place, if not for the twins. All of a sudden Fran fell into the grave, on top of C.C.'s casket. Fran screamed. She awoke to see she was in her plane seat. She was flying back to New York from Paris. It had all been a dream. Everything. Fran took a deep breath. She decided she would have to ask Maxwell if there was going to be a parent's party, and embrace C.C. very much. She grinned, and realized the dream was only a wake up call. She breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes, knowing she would have no more bad dreams.  
  
THE END 


	2. After the dream

Fran left the plane. Her heart beat. The dream she had just had had scared her very very badly. It was around five am and she got a cab and arrived at the Sheffield residence. Maxwell was waiting in the kitchen for her. She jumped into his arms and gave him a long, passionate kiss. "I'm so excited Fran, there's going to be a parent's party! I'm going to ask C.C. to bring her father!!" said Maxwell joyously. Fran's face went pale with horror.  
"Fran?" Max asked her. "Don't invite her, just don't. Please?" she said. Maxwell hung his head and said ok. He went up to bed, but getting enough sleep on the plane Fran sat there in wonder. A couple of hours later, CC came through the door in a black miniskirt and white tanktop. Fran said she looked great but then sat her friend down. "I know" said Fran in a devastated tone. "What? You know what?" said C.C. playfully. "A-about your father......a-and w-what he d-did to you." Said Fran. C.C.'s face turned a bright shade of red. "How?" she said, tears running down her cheeks, "H-how do you know?" "I-I just f-found out recently" said Fran, thinking if she told C.C. it came to her in a dream she would believe she was insane. Niles just then walked by the door, eager to eavesdrop. "Do you want to talk about it?" said Fran in a comforting tone. "N-no" C.C. replied, crying. Fran hugged her, but partially happy that she was able to prevent C.C.'s death. "Don't tell anyone" she said in a shaky tone, "no one needs to know...................Oh Fran, let me tell you this much about him. He's a strong man, and if I ever brought it up and people confronted me, he w-would come and do I-it again. I-it all st-started when I was six. He came home drunk and then h-he had a gun, a-and th-then, y-you k-know, h-he did it again when I was ten, twelve, and fourteen! No one needs to know my father raped me!" she began to sob into Fran's arms. Niles nearly fainted. He clutched his chest and fell back on the couch. C.C. raped? By her father? That's why she was so bitter all the time!! He just wanted to run In and hug her, and he could hear her weak, muffled, sobs coming from the kitchen. He quickly dashed upstairs once he heard Fran about to come out into the living room. He went into the upstairs hall and pretended to be dusting a painting. Fran took C.C. into the bathroom and washed her face. "Why don't we go out for the day. I'll tell Maxwell you need a day off." She said. Fran ran upstairs, informed Maxwell, and the two women headed out the door. Maxwell and Niles were left alone in the house. Maxwell summoned Niles into his room and said he needed some company. Niles was very weirded out. Maxwell was sitting there, wondering why C.C. had taken the day off when Niles said, "I think she needed it, since what her fath- " he stopped in mid-sentence and slowly turned toward Maxwell. "Niles?" he inquired, "do you know something about C.C.?" "Yes, but I heard it over eavesdropping and it is very serious so I shouldn't mention it." He said quickly. "Her father what?" said Maxwell with a look in his eyes, "Niles...you need to tell me." 


	3. On the way

Niles told Maxwell everything he had heard. He felt so bad, but he was sure his job was in jeopardy. When C.C. got back with Fran she sat on the couch and smiled. Fran left to go get something from the kitchen. Niles sat down next to her and said, "Ms. Babcock, I heard everything you and Fran were saying this morning." C.C. gasped and scooted away from him, her hand over her mouth.  
"I told Maxwell" he continued, "but only because he threatened to fire me."  
"Why do you always have to eavesdrop Niles?" C.C. said in an angry, shaky, voice, "why can't you ever mind your own business?" She began to cry silently.  
Niles embraced her, and even though C.C. hated that man, his warming touch felt good. "I'm so sorry" he whispered briskly in her ear.  
"It's ok Niles" said C.C., sitting up and wiping her eyes, "but what will we do about Maxwell?"  
Just then, Maxwell tromped down the stairs, his face red with anger. He took C.C.'s hand and gave her a little hug. "I'm sorry C.C., the way I've been treating you...I had no idea........." he paused for a moment, "I have booked a plane to Florida. Fran and I will accompany you and you are going to go to you're father's condo and tell him off. I'm trying to relieve you of some pain here, C.C."  
C.C. agreed and thought it was a great idea. Fran walked in and said, "what's going on?" They told Fran everything, and she eagerly agreed to go on the plane, for she wanted to kill her best friend's father. (AN: Val had moved away to texas)  
They got their bags and drove to the airport. It only took a couple of minutes to board the plane, and C.C., upon her request sat next to the window. It was at night, so everyone was sleeping. C.C. had a dream/flashback:  
  
She was a little girl, getting home from her first day of first grade. She ran into the house, eager to tell her father about it. She yelled "Daddy!!! DADDY!" as she walked through the front door. He came out of the kitchen his eyes bloodshot red. "Daddy? What's wrong?" she said In a softer tone. "N-nothing swwwwwweeeeeeeeetie" he said drunkenly and picked her up, holding her close to him, perhaps a little too close to him. "Daddy!!" she said and laughed, "the first day was great! I met this little girl and and-  
He held a finger up to her lips to silence her. He carried her to the other room and ripped off her jacket. "DADDY STOP!!" she screamed. He hit her across the face and held a gun to her temple. "Now you listen to me young lady" he growled, "father knows best." He ripped the buttons on her jumper open, and undid his fly. "STOP STOP STOP! NO YOU DON'T!" she screamed as loud as she could. He kept hitting her and he soon violated her as she screamed in pain. After he had left the house, she had lain there, sobbing. Blood was everywhere, and the girl was covered in bruises. Her mother was gone, in fact, she was always gone.  
  
C.C.'s eyes flew open. It happened three other times she thought, but none as horrible as the first C.C. had horrible dreams about the other times until Fran woke her up. C.C. was shaking and crying softly. She hated her father, and wanted to confront him. She smiled and looked out the window, ready for whatever was next. 


	4. In Miami

The plane landed at the Miami airport. C.C. was sort of nervous, because she hadn't seen her father in over ten years. She took a deep breath. They got their few luggage bags and headed out in front of it. They took a taxi to the holiday inn where they got settled. C.C. put on a tanktop and shorts and so did Fran. Maxwell put on a t-shirt and some baggy jean shorts. They walked out of the hotel. They got a cab and took it to her father's condo by the beach. It was a sunny, warm day and C.C. could see teenagers running up and down the shore, laughing with their friends. They walked up to his condo door and knocked.  
A man in his sixties answered the door nicely dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with fine gray hair combed back, and he clearly appeared to be sober. "C.C.!" he said in shock and hid a grimace. "I haven't seen you in a very long time!" he exclaimed, the noticed Fran and Max, "and who is this beautiful young lady and handsome prince?" he said. Fran and Max turned red, but offered a quick smile and Fran said, "I'm Fran Sheffield and this is my husband Maxwell Sheffield and these are the little Sheffields" she said, pointing to her stomach.  
He smiled and said, "Come in come in! My name's John Babcock if you were wondering." He beckoned them with his hand, and they were all soon comfortable on his white leather couch, accompanied by four small glasses of champagne. "So C.C.," he said staring straight at her, "what have you been up to?"  
"W-well I'm business partners with Maxwell here, we're a play production company, very popular in New York, battling Andrew Loyd Webber you know." She retorted quickly.  
Fran could see the gleam in his eyes the don't say a word or I'll hurt you look. He disgusted her. As he nodded Fran jumped in, "We came here to talk about something else though. Go ahead, tell him C.C."  
C.C. whirled her head around and gave Fran an I'm scared look. Fran gave her a reassuring look and C.C. turned back to her father.  
"Well come on hun, I need to know" he said in a playful tone.  
"We came to confront you" she said quickly, "about what you did to me when I was six, ten, twelve, and fourteen. I've been bothered by it, and I want you to apologize."  
C.C.'s hands trembled weakly.  
Her father stood up, his face full of rage. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ANYONE! YOU STUPID BITCH!" he hit her across the face. Maxwell stood up and threw him on the other side of the room, and Fran and him helped a dazed C.C. out of the condo. Once they had left the beach, C.C. began to cry.  
Max and Fran put their arms around her. "You tried, hun and that's all that matters" soothed Fran, "come on, we're heading back to New York." 


	5. He's back

A few weeks after they got back, Andrew Loyd Webber released a very popular play. Maxwell and C.C. were working extra hard to write a new one and get actors and actresses. One Saturday night at the Sheffield residence, Maxwell decided he needed a break. He asked C.C. to stay and work late till two in the morning. Maxwell and Fran left the house for dinner. Niles was out for the day but he was coming back around midnight. C.C. worked on some papers. She glanced at the clock. It was twelve already! She still had so much to do! The bell donged twelve times and was growing quite annoying in C.C.'s ears. Niles then entered the room. He saw C.C. God, he thought she was so beautiful. C.C. was wearing an oversized gray working suit and her milky curls where pinned back with a brown barrette.  
"Hello" he said, announcing his presence.  
C.C. nodded toward him and said, "you going to bed?"  
"No" he said, sighing, "I'm going out for drinks, so I guess I'll see you later. I'll be back around two fifteen. C.C. nodded and went back to filling out an application.  
After Niles had left, the phone rang. C.C. picked it up.  
  
CC: hello? Mysterious voice: open the door  
  
The phone clicked and the line went dead. C.C. nervously got up and opened the office door. There stood her father. He began walking towards her. "Hello" he said in a creepy voice.  
"H-hello dad" she said shakily, "what do you want?" She slowly backed away.  
"I wanted to apologize" he said offering a gentle smile, "for everything I did to you. I was young, a drunkard. I am so sorry, you are my daughter and I love you. The reason I overreacted was because you brought those two."  
C.C. breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, tears of happiness running down her face. They both embraced.  
"Oh dad" she said softly, "I love you and forgive you."  
All of a sudden, he shoved her violently against the wooden desk. "Those apologies were a lie" he said cackling, "I just came back because I miss good sex. And you're grown, so it's much better. And to punish you for telling. Every time you do tell I will find you and hurt you even more!" He motioned towards her.  
C.C. backed away into the desk, her heart beating like crazy. "STOP STOP IT DADDY PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!!!" she yelled as if she were still six years old. He hit her across the face, sending blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She tried to push him away, but he was very masculine.  
  
She kicked him in the stomach, which sent him up against the wall. C.C. tried to open the door, but her father grabbed her around the waist and pinned her down to the ground. C.C. fought, but her father tied her hands behind her back. He ripped off her jacket. C.C. screamed and tried to kick, but John slammed a stone lamp into her ankle which began swelling immediately.  
"HELP HELP HELP!" screamed C.C. breathlessly. She groped for the phone to call 911, but John stomped on it, breaking it. He put duct tape across her mouth. He cut her skirt off of her body. C.C. made grunting noises through the duct tape and she sobbed angrily. John ripped the buttons off of her shirt.  
C.C. screamed for imaginary neighbors to come and rescue her. The only sounds were her cries and pitiful screams through the empty Sheffield house as John Babcock violated her for the fifth time in her life. 


	6. The Morning After

Fran and Maxwell walked through the door. It was quiet. They figured C.C. might have got home so Fran went upstairs to check Maxwell's office. She walked in but then let out a high-pitched scream. C.C. lay there, a towel draped over her bare body. She had bruises on her arms and legs and blood streamed from her head. Her ankle was severely swollen. Fran bent down weakly to check her pulse. She was still alive to Fran's relief. Maxwell dashed into the room at that moment and gasped loudly. He went and got a wet cloth and put it again C.C.'s forehead. All of a sudden she woke up. Her eyes focused. Then she remembered. She put her hand over her mouth and began sobbing.  
Fran held her and said, "It's ok sweetie, it's ok hun, just tell us what happened."  
"H-he...." Said C.C. choking on her words, "m-my father c-came b-back and h-he d-did it a-a-again!" She cried even more. I'll kill that man thought Fran angrily as she stroked C.C.'s back.  
"Maxwell" said Fran quickly, "go get C.C. a nightgown from my dresser alright?" She guided C.C. into the bathroom and washed her face. Fran got the nightgown from Maxwell, gave it to C.C., then left the bathroom. C.C. quickly got dressed and pulled the brown barrette from her hair. She thought about her father. She gripped the sink to keep from falling. Pain rose up in her chest again and she began to cry silently. C.C. quickly opened the bathroom cabinet. She quickly searched through it and found a pair of small fabric scissors with sharp ends. She grabbed a small black washcloth and sat on the toilet, doing something she hadn't done in a long time.  
The blade slid over her arm, blood seeping into the dark cloth. C.C. had started cutting when she was ten years old after her father had raped her for the second time. She quickly wiped off the scissors and put them back. She stared at her cut, and then had a flashback:  
  
It was a Saturday afternoon. Ten year old C.C. got home from a sleepover with her best friend, Myra. She decided to take a shower. She shampooed her hair. She didn't hear the door open. All of a sudden the shower curtain pulled back and there stood her father. C.C. had a flashback of when she was six and began immediately covering herself and asked in a scared tone, "D-daddy what a-are you doing?" He only had a towel wrapped around his lower body. He smiled sickly. "Joining you" he said. He dropped the towel and C.C. screamed. She tried to get out, but he shoved her against the shower wall and pulled back the curtain. He grabbed her under the armpits, and as she struggled he slapped her. He was apparently stoned. He shoved her against the wall and brought her into him. She screamed in pain and soon the water was the color of red. After he had left, C.C. had sat, crying against the wall as cold water showered her. She turned off the water and stepped on to the bathroom floor, her long hair in front of her face. She looked in the mirror. She opened the cabinet. She grabbed a pair of fabric scissors. She slid the blade down the length of her arm, and blood dripped onto her wet feet.........  
  
C.C. tried to grab the sink again but fell back and fainted. Fran walked into the bathroom. She fell to C.C.'s side, and called for Maxwell. Before he could come up from the living room Niles entered through the door. He saw Maxwell's red face. He asked him what was wrong. Maxwell told him the entire thing. Niles face turned red with anger and the two men dashed upstairs. They rushed to the bathroom where Fran was yelling for them.  
"Oh Niles" she said, "you're here. I'm sure Maxwell has explained everything to you. She fainted again, but her pulse is fine. Niles, could you take her to the guest room and care for her wounds?"  
Niles nodded quickly. Fran and Maxwell went downstairs to the kitchen. Niles stared at C.C. He hated her father, how could a man abuse a human being this beautiful, this angelic? He carried her into the guest room, her soft curls draping over his arm. He pulled back the covers and lay her on the bed gently. He put medicine on her head wound and bound her ankle with a white bandage. He left some ice water and advil by her bed side, and then he pulled the red comforter over her body and kissed her gently on the forehead.  
Niles went down to see Fran and Max and they all ate a big gallon of Rocky Road ice cream. (AN: the kids were all on a two week camping trip).  
C.C. woke up around eight. "Oh god" she said grumpily, "I feel like shit." She then saw a glass of water and two advils. She took them. Then she looked around. She wasn't at her apartment. She breathed a sigh of relief, she was in Maxwell's guestroom. Then she remembered all of last night. She took weary sighs and dug a morning after pill out of her purse. She had had to take these when she was twelve and fourteen when her father had done it to her again. She took one, knowing she would have a bad stomach ache today. She found she was wearing one of Fran's nightgowns and smiled. Her friend was so thoughtful. She walked down the stairs into the kitchen, slightly limping on her bound ankle. Fran and Max greeted her with little hugs, and Niles was still sleeping. She asked Fran if she could borrow some clothes. Fran said yes and after breakfast C.C. went upstairs into Fran's bedroom. She searched through her dresser and picked out a long black sweater and tight jeans. She combed her hair and went into Maxwell's office to work.  
"Oh no C.C." said Maxwell batting her away with his hand, "you don't have to work after all that has happened.............." his voice trailed off.  
"Look Maxwell" she said firmly, "I may be undergoing emotional pain but not physical so I think I'll be alright......OWWW!!!!" she yelled as her stomach began throbbing. The morning after pill had began to work. She explained it to him. She took the day off.  
Niles drove her over to her apartment in silence. C.C. carefully unbuttoned Fran's jeans just so she could breath. She collapsed on the couch and watched TV.  
She fell asleep, and was woken around five pm by the phone. She answered it. It was Fran.  
  
CC: Hello? Fran: hey CC CC: hey Fran Fran: I feel so bad about leaving you all alone last night....... CC: it wasn't your fault stop blaming yourself OK? My mother did and she...... Fran: Oh ok well I think Niles blames himself CC: What? Fran: Nothing........so what are you going to do about your father CC: Fran, I think I'm going to file a lawsuit. 


	7. A Series Of Unfortunate Events

CC hung up the phone. Fran had said it was a good idea. Why was CC scared? I'm scared he will come after me again. Deepening in thought, CC knew she had to stop him. She quickly ran to the bathroom opening the medicine cabinet. She grabbed the fabric scissors and sat on the toilet once more. She severely mutilated her arm this time. She made about twenty cuts, all getting close to her wrist. Fran's jeans were stained with blood, so CC couldn't return them. She quickly put the fabric scissors away and returned to her living room. Fran back at the Sheffield residence, was worried about her friend. She didn't know what to think, or say. She knew CC was filing a law suit, and she thought it was good. Or do I? She was really worried John would hurt her again. Fran fought the thoughts and eventually fell asleep on Maxwell and her's bed. Niles was upstairs in his bedroom, worrying. His heart raced with anger as he thought of that poor woman. The next evening CC didn't come to work. Anyway, Niles was in the kitchen when the monthly issue of The National Inquirer was delivered. He ran to the door to pick it up. He sat down at the counter and read the first article. (This had always been one of his evening habits) "OH MY GOD!!" he yelled, his eyes bulging. Intensity and anger welled up inside him at CC. He gripped the paper, his knuckles turning white as he read it again:  
  
Chastity Claire Babcock: Slut or Producer?  
  
An unknown source by the name of James has revealed all about the elegant blonde in Sheffield-Babcock productions. He says she told him that she was suing her father for sexual assault. She told him in amusement that she made the entire thing up and was after her father's millions her mother denied her. James also says that she staged a "crime site" in her producer, Maxwell Sheffield's, office. Her father has recently been called to be interviewed by the police. He said he indeed went into intercourse with his daughter after she seduced him and gave him drinks. The stories about her childhood are made up, he also claims. CC, he said also said that she had slept with the butler the night of Maxwell's wedding. "He was nothing but a one-night stand" he claims she said, "But he was good. Maybe I'll get him drunk and do it another time." Turn to page 34 for more information.  
  
Niles' face turned bright red. He was going over there to give her something to talk about. It was ten pm and back at CC's apartment she was getting dressed up to go out that night. She wore a black halter dress and her many curls were pinned up. (AN: everything in the National Enquirer was made up, but you already knew that, and apparently Niles didn't, oh and one of the reporters found out about the lawsuit since his friend was the lawyer defending CC) It was storming so CC got her coat and umbrella. As she approached the door, it swung open for her, and there stood and angry, glaring, Niles, soaked from the rain. CC looked at him and said quite confidently and synically, "Hello Niles" He just glared at her. A flash of nervousness appeared over her eyes and Niles liked that. "Wh-what's wrong?" she said shakily. He held "The National Enquirer" open to the page with the article. She grabbed it then threw it on the ground. "THOSE NASTY LITTLE SONS OF A BITCHES!! Niles, I don't know how they found out about the law suit........I never said any of those things..........I don't even remember that night......." She said her voice trailing off. His eyes were dark pools of hatred. He didn't believe her. "You said that you wanted to get me drunk and do it again, here I am not drunk, and ready." CC shook her head desperately. "No" she said exasperated. He grabbed her by the shoulders harshly and looked deep into her eyes. "What do you mean NO?!!" he almost yelled. Tears welled up at the back of CC's eyes. "Niles please........." she begged him, his hands hurt so very badly. "You made up that story about your father to make everyone feel sorry for you. Well it worked. No one likes you, CC Babcock, and no one ever will. Oh, I liked you, but you used me, and I came here. You owe me a debt and you know that. Now come here." He said so very coldly. Niles didn't want to hurt her, but he was in so much rage. He grabbed her and began kissing her neck. CC had loved him so much. Ever since the day she had walked through the door at the Sheffield residence. She had longed for this moment. But she was in a shocked, hurt state and it didn't appeal to her at all. So she fought him. "Let go!" she cried weakly, struggling to push him off of her. She pushed him off of her, but he grabbed her around the waist and twisted her wrists behind her back. CC didn't cry, even though she wanted to, she didn't. His words hurt so very badly. Why would she make up something like this. The National Enquirer was a bullshit magazine that had recently had a story about a three hundred pound baby being born. He whispered things she couldn't understand in her ear. She broke free and ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. She locked the door and Niles began to pound on it fiercely. CC cried silently. She was so angry at him. She had let go that singing telegram on Maxwell and Fran's wedding, the fact that he sent her back to the place, and for all the insults. This she could never forgive. He hurt her. Phsyically and emotionally. She dug a shoe box from under her bed. She grabbed fabric scissors and cut her arms over and over again until she stopped crying. She put the scissors in the shoe box and pushed it back under the bed. The door burst open at that moment. Niles stood there, angry. CC suddenly had two flashbacks. She was twelve, jumping on a trampoline when her father came out. He tied her to a barbed wire fence that cut deeply in her skin and raped her. After that, they went to a hospital since she was hurt, and there he was, in the waiting room as sweet as could be, saying she had 'fallen', Then another time when she was fourteen, sitting on her bed, reading a magazine. He came in, raped her on her very own bed. She couldn't bear it and went weak for a moment, which gave Niles the perfect opportunity to walk over and grab her once more. He shoved her against the wall and held her hands behind her back. CC was angry. "Your stronger then me eh ?" she said In a shaky but confident tone, "what is that going to prove?" He looked her in the eye and spat, "It proves that I'm capable of getting what I wish." CC got scared. He wouldn't rape her would he? (AN: Niles had no intention on doing that, just scaring her, but considering CC's past.....well you know......) She began to think he would. "GET OFF!!" she screamed, feeling very frightened. He slapped her in the face. (Niles would not normally do this, and he was sort of unaware) He held both hands behind her back with one hand, and used the other to stroke her face. His touch was cold and evil, unlike his touch in the living room three years ago when they had shared that mysterious kiss, CC thought. He was hurting her very badly with his hands, with his eyes, with everything he had, and he didn't even know it. She took deep heaving breaths. Then she had many thoughts race through her head: A small child laying in a pool of blood in an empty room, her shivering in the cold shower, barbed wire digging into her back, her head hitting a headboard, a stone lamp being smashed on her ankles, niles tight grip on her hands and cold stroke, a happy little girl skipping into a fateful house, blood dripping on wet feet, a hospital, an upturned bed, a towel, and a stinging slap across her face. Using all her might CC lunged at Niles sending him back and screaming, "NEVER AGAIN!" she tried to get out of the door. Niles grabbed her around the waist and not meaning to, swung her around and sent her flying, hitting the wall hard. CC was mad. Her long blonde hair fell in front of her face and she looked up, a glare in her eyes and she was slightly growling. But feeling a rush of pain, she layed her head back and cried. Niles was trying to move towards her, but when CC looked at him she saw her father. She held her hands above her face and yelled, "NO DADDY! DON'T HURT ME PLEASE DADDY! PLEASE DADDY! DON'T HURT ME!" He grabbed her, she struggled, but eventually she slumped against him. "Ms. Babcock, I'm so sorry, you no I would never hurt you, never" he said but realized the lie in his words, "I am so sorry I hit you and hurt you emotionally and physically. But that article......." His voice trailed off. Wasn't true thought CC angrily and pulled from his grip and motioned towards the door. "IT WAS TRUE WASN'T IT! OH A BITCH LIKE YOU COULD PULL THAT STUPID LITTLE BEGGING OFF COULDN'T YOU?!!" he screamed after her. Tears caught in her throat. She turned toward him, anger burning through out her body. "Then why" she snarled, "would I do this?!" She showed Niles her mutilated arms. He looked at her and said breathlessly, "Ms. Babcock.........I'm sorry.........I had no idea." "No you didn't" she spat back, "you really had no idea. You just believe some bullshit magazine you read every Wednesday night. If you ever touch me again I will beat the living hell out of you. Do you understand? Oh, and why the hell would I make up my father raping me when I was six in an empty room, raping me when I was ten in a shower, raping me when I was twelve on a barbed wired fence, raping me when I was fourteen on my own bed, and raping me now in Maxwell's office??????? DID YOU THINK I WOULD SLICE MY ARMS OPEN JUST TO GET MONEY! I'm not that ridiculous! I loved you! You know that? I let go that stupid singing telegram 'The Place', and all those insults you made at me. YOU WERE GOING TO RAPE ME! YOUR NO DIFFERENT THEN HIM!" she yelled and burst into tears, running out of the bedroom. Niles ran after her. She tripped over a step which sent her flying into the wall. She scrambled up and landed on the couch. Niles grabbed her despite her restraints. "Before you go" he said with pain in every word he spoke, "I need to tell you something." CC finally failed at struggling and listened to what he was going to say. He loosened his grip slightly and began, "I-I would never rape you, I-I am so sorry for accusing you for l-lying. Y-you have every right to be mad at me, b-but why w-would you hurt yourself? P-please promise me one thing. Never do that again." She didn't respond. Niles took her arms. He traced his fingers over every single cut she made, as though healing them. She suddenly wanted to be in his grasp forever. "I forgive you, and I promise" she said weakly. "I love you too" he said as though he was reading her thoughts. He looked into her eyes and traced the line of the red handprint he had left. All of a sudden, lightning struck across the sky, and all the power went out. CC let out a small scream and buried her head in his chest. "Stay" she said, her voice shaky and muffled. "Alright" he said. She looked up at him. Their faces were so close. He kissed her ever so gently, but so passionately. A boom of thunder sounded outside. She put her head back down on his chest, and he held her, and she fell asleep in his arms. 


	8. A glass of scotch

Niles awoke two hours later. It was very dark, probably about three am. Then he noticed the sleeping angel by his side. He softly stroked her blonde hair, as she snuggled up to him in her sleep. She loves me he thought. Why? He had done so many things to her. "Oh C.C." he whispered softly, careful not to wake her, "why do you forgive so easily? I sent you to that horrible place......I hurt your feelings so bad with that telegram......and all those insults........................." Then he softly began to sing a song:  
  
I'm not a perfect person  
  
There's many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know  
I found out a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you  
I'm sorry that I hurt you  
It's something I must live with everyday  
And all the pain I put you through  
I wish that I could take it all away  
And be the one who catches all your tears  
That's why I need you to hear  
I found out a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
And the reason is you  
I found out a reason to show  
A side of me you didn't know  
A reason for all that I do  
And the reason is you  
  
C.C. shifted in her sleep and moved closer to him. He held her tightly, suddenly very protective of her. God, why did he hit her? Because I was mad he thought. "I'll never hit you again" he said gently, "I love you." Then he fell asleep.  
The sun shone through the large windows. C.C.'s eyes fluttered open. She softly shook Niles awake. He awoke and smiled at her. He kissed her forehead. "I have to go" he said, "I'll tell Maxwell you had to take the day off." C.C. nodded her head softly. He walked out. She went to the kitchen counter and poured herself a scotch on the rocks. She was so happy she was with Niles, but there was another secret. When C.C. had taken the morning after pill after her father raped her when she was fourteen, 99 percent effective didn't work. She was pregnant. She kept it well concealed. She had the baby in a cabin when she knew it was her due date. A couple of friends helped her have it. She named it Jessica. She was surprised it wasn't mentally retarded her father being the father and all.  
God, she thought I had a baby and my father was the father. I'm so screwed up. I really am. She remembered giving that gentle, sweet angel away to that orphanage. Her heart beat harder.  
She cried some more. She couldn't stand it. She gripped her scotch glass so hard her knuckles turned white. Ripping out a piece of paper from her printer, she made up a poem, it was to her father.  
  
Every time we lie awake  
  
After every hit we take  
Every feeling that I get  
But I haven't missed you yet  
Every room mate kept awake  
By every silent scream we make  
All the feelings that I get  
But I still don't miss you yet  
Only when I stop to think about it  
I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you?  
For everything you do  
I'd like to swallow you  
And everyday I'm gonna blame you  
And even if you justify  
Every fucking bogus lie  
It only makes me want to break you  
You pulled me down  
And you crucified my name  
You make me insane  
It's broken now don't ever look my way  
Don't even think I'm playing  
Cause I fucking hate you your such a liar  
And I'd love to hit you  
You're all the same to me  
When you repeatedly take advantage of me  
The only thought I get of you sickens me  
Everybody knows your fake  
Your everything I fucking hate  
And I'm everything that you could never be  
  
She folded it up and put it in an envelope. She sealed it, along with a notification that she was suing him for sexual assault. She put his address in Miami down. She got in her car and drove over to the post office. She dropped off the letter. She decided to go to work, and surprise the Sheffields. She knocked on the door and a very surprised Niles answered. He gave her a little hug and took her coat. She wasn't herself that day. She remembered all the kids names. (Well she knew them all by heart, but she couldn't bare to be around kids after what happened, but today she was particularly upset) She walked upstairs and smiled at Maxwell. Her heart beat. She was ready to put her father away where he really belonged.  
  
Note: Thank you Iceangel7554!!! There were three songs in this story: The reason by Hoobastank, I hate everything about you by 3 days grace, and I f'ing hate you by Godsmack Review review review!!! 


	9. The plane

Two weeks later, C.C., Niles, Fran, and Maxwell were headed to Chicago for the trial. C.C. and Niles forgot about that night, and went back to their usual insults. Well, actually, Niles forgot about that night. C.C. actually thought he loved her. She remembered vaguely Niles softly singing a song to her, saying he would never hurt her, and that he loved her.(Niles never knew she heard that) C.C. was hurt. She remembered the first battle which was a week after that night:  
  
C.C. walked through the front door. Niles was dusting something on the coffee table. "Niles" she said softly, "we need to talk." He looked up to her, a devilish grin on his face. He was going to go back to normal, insults insults insults. That night did mean something to me, he thought, but I'm not sure I love her, besides she didn't hear that at all. "What" he said snidely, "about your ravishing personality as the broadway bitch?" C.C. was taken aback. "No, not that I could resist talking about your profession as scrubbing scum," she said quite shakily which made Niles secretly grin at his winning position, "but I wanted to talk about what happened a week ago....."  
"Ah," he said sarcastically, "I was drunk. I had to go to the doctors and get sanitized after 'holding' you, it's not like I said anything important to you." He laughed in his cruel way. Tears welled back up in the back of C.C.'s eyes and she felt like screaming YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME! THAT'S RIGHT, I HEARD YOU! DOES LOVE MEAN ANYTHING TO YOU YOU SICK BASTARD?!!!!!  
But she didn't. She simply said, "OK butler boy, that was one of the most lame-ass comebacks I've ever heard in my life, so I'm glad we got that cleared up." He nodded as she walked away and quickly said under his breath, "bitch." She turned around and let out a low laugh. "Inhaling Lysol fumes again?" she said sarcastically. She quickly walked up stairs, and once she noticed no one was in Max's office she burst into tears......  
  
C.C. stared out the plane window at the slowly diminishing city of New York. Fran tapped her on the shoulder and asked, "are you alright?" C.C. nodded silently with a faraway look in her eyes. She stared over at Niles, wanting so much for him to hold her. He gave her a cruel glare. Her stomach twisted painfully and she returned the glare. She quickly turned away as tears fell down her face. Parts of a song rang in her mind: I'm not a perfect person..............I'm sorry that I hurt you......I just want you to know...............The reason is you. That last line hit her really hard. The reason is you. What reason? What does he mean? I'm certainly not a reason in his life god he treats me badly.......but then again who would love C.C. Babcock, as quoting Niles, Broadway Bitch?  
A pained feeling welled up in her stomach again. She was so nervous. How could she do this? She had so many hateful men in her life right now...........she felt like screaming. Heaving a deep breath she thought angrily, If Niles doesn't think saying I love you is important, then that promise to never cut myself again wasn't important.  
She got up and walked rather quickly past Niles. She walked into the airplane lavatory, stifling a sob. As soon as she locked the door, she let it all come out. Everything. She was careful to be quiet. She then carefully sat down. She rolled up the sleeve of her white blouse. She drew a pair of fabric scissors from her purse, and carefully moved the blade towards her skin.  
  
Thankyou again Iceangel7554 sorry for the two day wait...had a family gathering!! 


	10. Gracie!

There was a pounding at the lavatory door. Blood dripped from the cuts on C.C.'s arms. "JUST A MINUTE!" she half screamed half sobbed. She quickly buttoned up the sleeve of her blouse and wiped her face. The woman waiting to go gave her a devilish glare then went in. She put her head down. She sat down in her seat, and slept the rest of the way to Chicago. Once they arrived at the airport C.C. rushed to Starbucks and got a latte. They called a cab to take them to the Holiday Inn.  
As C.C. entered her room, a voice said from behind, "you forgot your coat." It was Niles. She muttered a quick thank you and he left. She curled up on her bed, scared of everyone and everything. The trial was to be in two weeks so everyone was tense and readying everything, papers files and all. The kids came to visit too. One day, while Maxwell was gone C.C. was talking on the phone with her lawyer, after hanging up she heard the children's and Fran's laughter. God, she cherished those children. She knew all their names but pretended to forget them just because she was so locked away in her past she couldn't take energy to love anyone else. Until that night.  
Fran and Max went to dinner, Niles on a date, Brighton and Maggie on dates, and Gracie was going out with some friends she met at the hotel pool. She was thirteen now. That night, around ten, Gracie came bursting through the door of C.C.'s room in tears. C.C. rushed over to her, and said in a comforting tone, "What's the matter Grace?" The girl wrapped her arms around C.C.'s waist. She was not accustomed to this, but slowly put her shaking arms around the girl. "Just tell me what happened" she said softly.  
"Well" she said as her chin began to tremble again, "I went out with those kids, Marie, Stacy, and Paulina. We saw a movie and got ice cream. After that, we roamed around and alley playing tag and talking about guys. Then three figures appeared in the opening. They said that us four looked like we needed a good time. Stacy said we were fine but he grabbed her and tied her hands behind her back. Paulina and Marie escaped, trying to get to the police station. I tried to fight them. They hit me and cut my arm (shows a deep cut in her arm and bruises on her face to C.C. who gasps) and they tried to rape me. They ripped off my blouse and bra so that's why I'm in Stacy's jacket. They heard police sirens, untied Stacy, and ran away. They all went home in cop cars and I just walked, cause I didn't want to get questioned. They scared me so b-bad........." She cried against C.C.'s chest.  
  
C.C. stroked her hair and said she'd kill those sons of a bitches if she could. "Do you want me to go get Niles?" she asked gently, "he's down in the restaurant café."  
Grace's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she cried, "please no! he's a man he'll never let me out of his sight again.......he'll be up all night worrying so at least wait until morning but you can tell daddy and Fran if you want to.......and you're a woman and you understand what I feel like because of you're father............"  
C.C. hugged her tightly, as tears formed in her eyes. "Sweetie" she said softly, "I'll tell Maxwell and Fran when they get back...I-I know what you mean about Niles (tears welled up at the back of her eyes) Maxwell will be sure to tell him....I will defend you Grace, oh honey.......I'm so sorry."  
Grace buried her head in her chest and cried until she fell asleep. C.C. stared at that angel, wishing she had a daughter. But I had she thought painfully, seeing Jessica's gentle face. She carefully put one arm under Grace's mid-back and one under Grace's knees and carried her down the hall to her room. She layed her in bed and took off her shoes. She bound Grace's wound with white bandage. She carefully pulled the comforter over Grace, and walked out of the room, tears falling down her face. "Don't go" said Grace sleepily. C.C. came back and sat beside her and sang a lullaby:  
  
Golden slumber kiss your eyes,  
  
Smiles await you when you rise.  
  
Sleep,  
  
charming angel,  
  
Do not cry,  
  
And I'll sing you a lullaby.  
Care you know not,  
  
Therefore sleep,  
  
While over you watch I do keep.  
  
Sleep,  
  
pretty darling,  
  
Do not cry,  
  
And I will sing a lullaby.  
  
Grace's eyes drooped and she was soon softly slumbering into her pillow. Fran and Max were surprised to see C.C. by the bedside of their youngest daughter. She got up and said, "we need to talk." The two adults' faces flushed with horror as they heard the tale, and thanked C.C. for her care, then they bid each other good night. At around three in the morning, C.C. heard Grace's cry from down the hall. She rushed to see what was the matter.  
  
"Grace?" she said softly as she creaked open the door. Grace's face was red and streaked with tears. She hugged C.C. once again. "I had a dream" she said shakily, "and this time I didn't get away..." C.C. held her tightly.  
"What happened?" said Grace suddenly, pointing to C.C.'s arm. C.C. gasped. She was wearing a night gown so her cuts were exposed. "Cat" was all she could choke out. Grace nodded and fell asleep in her arms. Fran, who had heard her daughter's screams, ran to her room and peeked in. She saw C.C. holding Grace and smiled. She walked into the room. C.C. quickly looked up and put her finger to her lips. She placed Grace gently back on the pillow and her and Fran went to the kitchen to discuss things and eat ice cream. It was good to talk for C.C., but she kept her arm well concealed. That night C.C. lay in bed thinking. She quickly got a flashlight and dug something out from a small black purse of her's on the dresser. It was an old photograph of Niles. She traced his face with her finger and sang silently:  
Notice me, take my hand  
  
Why are we strangers when  
  
Our love is strong?  
  
Why carry on without me?  
  
Everytime I try to fly, I fall  
  
Without my wings, I feel so small  
  
I guess I need you, Baby  
  
And everytime I see you in my dreams  
  
I see your face, it's haunting me  
  
I guess I need you, Baby  
I make believe that you are here  
  
It's the only way I see clear  
  
What have I done?  
  
You seem to move on easy  
I may have made it rain  
  
Please forgive me  
  
My weakness caused you pain  
  
And this song's my sorry  
  
At night I pray  
  
That soon your face will fade away  
  
And everytime I try to fly, I fall  
  
Without my wings, I feel so small  
  
I guess I need you, Baby  
  
And everytime I see you in my dreams  
  
I see your face, you're haunting me  
  
I guess I need you, Baby  
  
Tears fell down her face as she placed the old photograph in her purse. 


	11. The trial

Niles tossed and turned in his bed. From a distance, he heard a sweet, soft, serene song singing. He only caught little pieces of the song...........notice me.........why carry on with out me.........without my wings.........I fall.........I make believe.........My weakness caused you pain.........my sorry.........that soon your face will fade away......... He shook his head. It was probably a dream.  
After showering the next morning, C.C. went downstairs from the hotel into the breakfast place. Niles was as white as chalk, which suggested that he knew. That afternoon, Gracie announced that she was going down to the pool. Niles was upset. "You cannot go!" he said incredulously, "I forbid it." "But Niles" Gracie retorted, "They were the friends that saved me. I need to cool off OK and Daddy said I could." Niles shook his head furiously.  
"Give the kid a break!" said C.C. loudly, "those friends protected her OK and she just needs happiness right now...I know how she feels. Go on, Gracie."  
Gracie gave her a quick hug and left. Niles glared at her. "Now I understand why most people don't find you very appealing" he said coldly.  
"I'll have you know that I do appeal to many people" she shot back.  
"Oh yes," he said snidely, "you certainly appealed to your father." Cold tears fell down her face and she turned away from him.  
"C.C." he said apologetically, "That's not what I meant....."  
"I know what you meant." She said coldly as she stared at the ground.  
  
"Your so stupid" he said angrily, "you think people are just emotional little toys you can dangle around. No wonder Dr. Bort locked you up......" He regretted that immediately. She turned around and slapped him in the face then stormed away. She went to her room, and got the fabric scissors out of her purse. The next day the trial started. C.C. walked into the stuffy courtroom, wearing one of her tight business suits. Her lawyer reassured her with a pat on the back. She saw Noel and DD (her mother and sister) sitting at the very back peer. She waved to them and got a thumbs up from Maxwell, Fran, and Grace. Niles sat there, motionless. The trial was rather boring, C.C. was questioned and she almost broke down, and the jury just sat there, a faraway look in their eyes. Anyway, the case would resume in two days, so the next day C.C. slept in. Fran knocked at her door. C.C. called her in and Fran handed her a letter. C.C. opened it. There were two papers in there. She took out the first one and read:  
  
Dear C.C. Babcock,  
  
Do you remember me? You probably don't, but I knew you when I was six years old. My name is Sarah Cottonwood and I was your next door neighbor. I knew what your father did to you. I saw it from my bedroom window that day.........anyway, I wrote a poem for you when I was that age. It's sort of sophisticated for a six-year-old, I know. Anyway, I saw you on tv and I hope you win the court case. The poem is original, what I mean by that it is the same paper I wrote on when I was six. Anyway, I hope you win. Thankyou so much,  
  
Sarah Cottonwood  
  
C.C. took a deep breath. She drew out the poem and read it. She cried as she read, and clutched it to her chest. She knew what she had to do with it. Court resumed. C.C. was being questioned, and she requested that she read the poem. The judge nodded, and C.C. stifled a sob and drew out the old piece of paper slowly. Her words were slurred and slow and she began to read:  
  
She walks to school with the lunch she packed  
  
Nobody knows what she's holding back  
Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday  
She hides the bruises with linen and lace  
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask  
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask  
Bearing the burden of a secret storm  
Sometimes she wishes she was never born  
Somebody cries in the middle of the night  
The neighbors hear but they turn out the light  
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate  
When morning comes it will be too late  
Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone  
In a world that she can't rise above  
But her dreams give her wings  
And she flies to a place where she's loved  
Concrete Angel  
A statue stands in a shaded place  
An angel girl with an upturned face  
A name is written on a polished rock  
A broken heart that the world forgot  
  
Almost everyone in the courtroom was in tears. Her father looked at her with disgust. She looked at the jury, all with hard, emotional, eyes. It was their decision whether to lock him up or not. They would decide when the case resumed a week later. C.C. sighed. She was hopeful that he would be gone, locked up, the world and her protected from him. 


	12. Confessions to Niles

Niles tapped Grace on the shoulder. She turned around and said, "what is it?" He asked her in a worried tone, "Is something wrong with Miss Babcock, I mean other than the fact the case is taking place?" Grace shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, could be the pain on her arm" she said simply, "I mean, that woman could get upset over anything at this point.....especially the damn cat who mutilated her arm." Niles' nearly had another heart attack. He looked at Grace and said, "Th-thankyou" then walked down the hall to his room. A soft gasp escaped C.C.'s lips. She woke up in cold sweat, shivering from the dream she just had. Her father had come back to hurt her, to kill her. She took a deep breath. The decision of the jury would resume in a week. She was so desperate to get this off of her mind.  
Then, she began to think. Think about Niles. He really hates me she thought weakly, and collapsed sobbing into her pillow. It was loud, so Niles could hear it. He thought it was Grace again, but once he realized it was C.C., he rushed over to her door. He knocked softly. C.C., thinking it was Grace to come talk again, wiped her tears away and sat up straight and said in a thin voice, "come in."  
She was shocked to see his figure in the doorway. She let out a little shriek of fright and grabbed the covers and hiding under them. "Ms. Babcock?" he said softly. He heard a whimper from the bed and walked over to the blanketed, shaking lump that was C.C.  
He softly lifted the comforter off of her. She squeezed her eyes shut tight. She was scared of him, and she didn't know quite why. He touched her shoulder softly. "Get away" she whimpered and then maximized the volume of her tone when he didn't leave, "GET AWAY!" She began to sob again. He grabbed her arm and looked at it, suddenly angry.  
"You promised," he growled, "you would never do this again! Why C.C.? Why?"  
"That promise" she retorted shakily, "was about just as important of you saying you loved me. That's right, I did hear you." He stood there, in shock for a moment. He sat down on the bed, opening his arms, which only caused C.C. to back away from him slowly, her hands over her face.  
"I do" he said slowly, "I'm sorry...I was afraid that- that- you would hate me. That's why I covered it up."  
He embraced her, but after a few minutes C.C. pulled away from him. "You'll do it again" she said softly, "do me and leave me, that's all you'll do, just like my father he left me with the-  
She stopped abruptly. "Oh don't pretend like you have anymore secrets" he said angry again pushing her down harshly on her back and standing up, "I tire of this game. Maybe if you weren't such a bitch all the time someone would respect you. You had enough dirt for the National Enquirer to pick you up, didn't you? I can't believe I said I loved you! I was a damn idiot! Goodnight Ms. Babcock."  
He motioned toward the door. "You bastard!" she yelled. He turned around with such hate in his eyes. He lunged at her, and sent her head smashing against the headboard, her arms pinned behind her back. She tried to scream but only a small squeak came out.  
He held her arms tight. "Now" he said furiously, "apologize for all the lies, everything. Now."  
"No" she said softly, "because they weren't lies." C.C. tried furiously to fight the thought that right after the trial she tried to kill herself. She had gone into the bathroom and got out the scissors. She began to drag the blade across her wrist when Fran knocked furiously at the door. C.C. had abruptly stopped.  
Niles twisted her wrists hard which made her whimper, and pinched the skin on the back of her neck. "Apologize." He said ferociously.  
  
"I've done nothing" she said weakly, beginning to cry. I'll never forget the child's gentle face she thought, thinking of Jessica.  
He dug his nails into the back of her neck, sending blood trickling down her back. He twisted her wrists further. She screamed in pain. "WE HAD A CHILD!" she exploded, sending Niles back on the bed. "What?" he said inquiringly.  
"MY FATHER AND I! OK! HE NEVER KNEW ABOUT IT! A BABY GIRL WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN! I GAVE HER AWAY!" she weakened immediately and broke down. Niles grabbed her. She didn't pull away. She didn't care anymore. "Kill me" she said softly, "I'm not apologizing for the 'lies' after all."  
He gripped her tight. "Oh god honey no!" he cried, "Never...Never. I lost control. Please, I'm so sorry for doing this.....I didn't oh god......what can I say...I love you, believe it or not. I can't imagine........What a fool I have been......Oh please forgive me C.C."  
She knew he meant it. "I do." She looked up at him. He gently kissed her. "You don't know how much I need you" she said weakly, and collapsed against his chest. She cried more. He took her in his arms. He softly caressed her hair. "Yes I do" he said hugging her slightly, "As much as I need you."  
  
A little later....................  
  
C.C. was under Niles kissing him passionately yet ferociously. He stopped for a moment and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. She smiled. "Yes" she said clearly, and began to unbutton his shirt. 


	13. Niles' song

Niles' eyes opened. He looked down at C.C., and he remembered everything. He softly whispered in her ear, "why did you forgive me?" he paused for a moment, "after everything...................." She softly shifted in her sleep, and a tear fell down her cheek under her closed eye. He walked around to the other side of the bed, and gently put her limp arms around his neck. He slipped one hand under her mid-back and one under her knees, and carried her over to a wooden rocking chair at the far end of the hotel room. He sat down, so her head was resting softly on his shoulder, and her legs were dangling from the side of the chair. He began to rock her softly and sang:  
  
Did you know  
  
That I was always there  
Even though  
I had your heart to tear  
And I did  
And I'm so sorry  
Can't believe you forgave me  
And now you're my angel to carry  
I always thought you were cold  
I always saw hate in your eyes  
But you've surprised me so much  
I see you at the center of everyone's cries  
I know what you've always needed  
Something you've never succeeded  
And if only I could express my love  
I would help you all I could  
  
He carried her back to the bed and layed her down. 


	14. A stormy day with Fran

C.C.'s eyes fluttered open. She stared up at Niles. He was softly sleeping. She got up from the bed and got dressed. Then she stared at him. Why did I forgive him? She thought, After all he has done.........He sent me to that place Oh My God, that horrible place. C.C. grabbed the edge of the nearby table to keep from falling. Always so many years ago he made those comments that sliced a knife deeper into my heart......that's why I didn't reply, I would start crying. She turned away, not believing what she had done the night before. The telegram......I can't- Oh My God- A sob wracked her body and she ran out of the hotel room. She needed to see Fran.  
It was five a.m., and storming pretty bad, and she was crying uncontrollably. C.C. got to Fran and Maxwell's door, and as she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open. C.C. gasped. Fran stood there, dressed, but her eyes were red from crying. They both said in unison, "sweetie what happened?" They decided to go down and eat breakfast at the café. Fran told her tale of how Maxwell was yelling at her about the daycare she picked out for the twins. He then left, but first slapping her on the face. C.C. embraced her and began to tell her tale. "A-and I don't know If I can forgive him or not." She said, but nearly began crying all over again because of the song that was playing on the nearby radio:  
  
Restless tonight  
  
Cause I wasted the light  
  
Between both these times  
  
I drew a really thin line  
  
It's nothing I planned  
  
And not that I can  
  
But you should be mine  
  
Across that line  
  
If I traded it all  
  
If I gave it all away for one thing  
  
Just for one thing  
  
If I sorted it out  
  
If I knew all about this one thing  
  
Wouldn't that be something  
  
I promise I might  
  
Not walk on by  
  
Maybe next time  
  
But not this time  
  
Even though I know  
  
I don't want to know  
  
Yeah I guess I know  
  
I just hate how it sounds  
  
"Well" said Fran, "Niles sure had a nerve to do that to you after he hit you. Oh my god honey, I don't know what to tell you, but do you want to just you know hang out today?"  
C.C. grinned. "Sure" she said. They ate breakfast and then went up to Fran's room, and put in some soap operas that she had taped. They both cried, and then they went out to the movies. It was very rainy outside, but they caught a cab.  
They got back to the hotels, and both decided to get some sleep. C.C. saw Niles' still sleeping in her room, so she slept on the couch in Fran's room. Then they went down to a steak house for dinner. As they payed the check, Fran turned towards C.C. and asked, "C.C., the trial is in four days, aren't you scared?"  
C.C. looked up at her friend. "Y-yes Fran" she said shakily and smiled sadly, "I am." 


	15. forgiveness

C.C. walked up to her room. Fran was beside her. She slowly opened the door, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips when she realized Niles' wasn't there. Fran left, and C.C. was now all alone. She sat down on her bed and began to cry. It was as though her heart was being ripped out. She quickly changed her clothes and went to sleep. The next morning, C.C. could hardly bear to look at Niles. At breakfast he kept winking at her, which sent shivers up and down her spine. Fran asked C.C. if she would contact Maxwell. This is kind of how their conversation went:  
  
Maxwell: hello? CC: hello Maxwell Maxwell: CC? Why are you calling me? Did something happen to the lead actor in our show because if that is the case I will be very- CC: NO! No. I'm sorry Maxwell. It's something different. Maxwell: Well then CC what is it? CC: I heard you hit Fran Maxwell: Oh my god. CC........I didn't mean to.....I was just so agitated........Tell my darling that I am so sorry (CC turns from the phone and tells this to Fran who tells her to keep talking to him) CC: I did Maxwell: Alright....what did she say? (Fran tells CC to give her the phone) CC: she would like to tell you  
  
C.C. gave Fran the phone and left the room, only to walk headlong into Niles. "Ms. Babcock are you alright?" said Niles with a devilish grin on his face. C.C. looked at him nervously. "Fine..........I'm just fine" a sob escaped her lips and she ran down the hall into her hotel room, slamming the door and then locking it. Niles began to knock on the door. "C.C.? C.C.? My darling?" he called.  
"I'M NOT YOUR DARLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed. He froze. "Wh- what?" he said. He forced the door open and looked at her, collapsed on the floor. He closed the door and sat down next to her. He pulled her into his arms. She sobbed against his chest and then he finally asked her what was wrong. She told him, and he held her and apologized. She forgave him..........but Fran still hadn't forgiven Maxwell. They had a huge fight on the phone, and Fran hung up on him. And there was still the trial. 


	16. Tragedy

Fran knocked on C.C.'s door. C.C. opened it and embraced her. Fran had been sobbing all night. They sat down on the edge of C.C.'s bed, and Fran told her story.  
"I called Maxwell again" she said shakily, "because I had decided I wanted to forgive him. He said that he didn't know if he could forgive me. I asked why, and he said I put him through some sort of pain in the last hour. I said I didn't owe him any apology. And then he said- Oh god- he said-." Fran sobbed again, her head on C.C.'s shoulder.  
C.C. rubbed her arm and said gently, "what did he say hun? What did he say?"  
"He said he wanted a divorce!!" she cried. C.C. gasped and hugged her tightly. Fran then pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. She handed it to C.C., who gently opened it.  
  
Dear Francine,  
  
Hello. Do you remember us? We are Sarah's parents. I know we said we wouldn't take legal action on preventing you from adopting Brighton, Maggie, and Grace, but we got a phone call from Maxwell and reconsidered. You two will battle for custody of the children I'm sure, but with us backing up Maxwell he'll probably get them, along with the twins. If you decide to not fight us, we think that would be a very wise choice. We do not want to embarrass you. We will work out a plan about when and when you can't see the kids. This might shock you, but we know and you know this is the right thing to do.  
  
Thankyou,  
  
Frank and Harriet  
  
C.C. dropped it on the floor and held Fran who was sobbing uncontrollably, and said through gritted teeth, "those bastards."  
"Don't worry Fran," she said softly, "If you and Maxwell do decide to get a divorce I will help you win the custody of those kids. God knows I've known him longer then you have, and when Sarah died he was a mess. That's probably why Grace went into therapy, and you got her out of it. They should be with you, not him."  
Fran nodded her head and joked, "how did you remember Grace's name?"  
"I've always known the childrens names, Fran. Hell, I even love them. But I just distance myself from children because of Jes- never mind. I'll help you through this any way I can." Said C.C., trying to block her baby's face from her mind.  
"Thanks" said Fran.  
"Your most certainly welcome" replied C.C., and hugged her friend once more. 


	17. Fran's hurt

C.C. couldn't believe what Maxwell was doing to Fran. And to consult Sarah's parents! My god! She gently led Fran back into her hotel room, and stayed by her side until she fell asleep.  
Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her say, "You're a good friend to her." Niles wrapped his arms around her midsection. She turned towards him and nodded.  
"Thankyou...........God Niles I'm so worried about her!" she said and fell into his embrace. She pressed her face to his chest and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. She stayed calm, and he gently rocked her. He led her to her room and tucked her into bed. He climbed in beside her and but his arm protectively over her. He held her tense body tight to him and she fell asleep feeling loved and sheltered from all the world. About two in the morning C.C. heard a beautiful voice coming from outside. She walked onto the patio. She saw Fran standing by the hotel pool outside singing:  
  
I'm standing on the bridge  
  
I'm waiting in the dark  
I thought that you'd be here  
By now  
There's nothing but the rain  
No footsteps on the ground  
I'm listening but there's no sound  
Isn't anyone trying to find me?  
Won't somebody come take me home?  
It's a damn cold night  
Trying to figure out this life  
Won't you take me by the hand,  
Take me somewhere new?  
I don't know who you are  
But I  
I'm with you  
I'm with you  
I'm looking for a place  
I'm searching for a face  
Is anybody here?  
I know  
Cause nothin's going right  
And everythings a mess  
And no one likes to be alone  
Why is everything so confusing?  
Maybe I'm just out of my mind  
It's a damn cold night  
Trying to figure out this life  
Won't you take me by the hand,  
Take me somewhere new?  
I don't know who you are  
But I  
I'm with you  
I'm with you  
  
C.C. was right behind Fran as she sang the last line of the song. C.C. touched her shoulder. Fran turned around. "Oh C.C." she said, and fell into her friends arms once more, "I don't want to lose them! My babies! My babies........My babies......M-my B-babies.....Oh god!" Fran was now sobbing. C.C. felt so guilty, because all she could do was hold her.  
  
Note: I AM SO SORRY for the long wait...I have been sooo busy this week....and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as possible 


	18. The phone call

Fran and C.C. went back to bed. C.C. stayed awake all night tossing and turning. The next morning she made a decision. She would call Maxwell, that son of a bitch. She quickly got up, leaving a sleeping Niles behind. She picked up her cell phone and punched in Maxwell's cell number.  
  
Maxwell: Hello? CC: Well hello Maxwell Maxwell: Is something wrong CC? CC: Oh it's really nothing I just wanted to ask you WHY THE HELL YOU DID THAT TO FRAN SHE IS SUCH A WONDERFUL SEXY WOMAN AND YOU TRY TO TAKE AWAY HER CHILDREN WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU??! Maxwell: It is strictly mine and Fran's business, I thought that you'd be happy about it, and I am going to question whether I give you permission to talk to me like that and how you should keep your job CC: Oh HELL NO! It does become my business when my best friend is in crying fits every two hours, yes Maxwell she IS my best friend and I cannot believe you would do that to a person! I never knew what I saw in you....God she still loves you! Why would I be happy?! I am not that cold hearted OK? And I do NOT have to get your permission for any damn thing! We're partners OK and I think YOU should be worried about YOUR job Maxwell! Oh yeah and it really doesn't matter if we're business partners anymore I will stick by Fran's side no matter what and if you EVER try to cross our path I will beat you to a damn pulp!!  
  
C.C. snapped her cellphone shut. She prepared to go out of the hotel room, only to see Fran standing out In the hall. She embraced her warmly.  
"You really mean that?" asked Fran, happy tears clouding her eyes.  
"Yeah, I do" she said.  
"Wanna go down to breakfast?" asked Fran.  
  
"Sure" C.C. smiled.  
"C.C.?" said Fran.  
"Yeah?" she replied.  
"Thanks" she smiled and embraced her once more.  
"Anytime Fran........Anytime" she smiled and the two walked down to breakfast. 


	19. Threats

It was cold and rainy outside. After breakfast, C.C. had decided to take a walk. She didn't mind the rain, it basically reflected her life. She walked down the wet sidewalks, when suddenly she was yanked into an alley. She started to scream, but a hand was put over her mouth. She was thrown against a wall. A knife was put to her throat, and a man dressed in a black ski mask kneeled down in front of her.  
"Now listen here honey" he growled, "you will drop this law suit if you know whats good for you."  
C.C. gasped. "Daddy?" she asked meekly. The man shook his head.  
"No" he growled, "but I know your father. Now listen here. Next court calling you tell everyone it was a lie. If you don't, I will ruin your life. I will kill everyone that is dear to you. Your business partner, your best friend, your lover, and the children. If you know whats good for them you'll drop the case. I'll be watching you. If you tell anyone, they will be dead the next morning and you'll be sorry. Now go!"  
C.C. was shoved to the ground, and she scraped her cheek on the concrete. She ran back to the hotel and locked herself in her room. She told everyone she was feeling sick so she could think over what had just happened.  
  
Note: I know I know very short but the next chapter is going to be long, but It'll take a week to do so. Ok, keep reading and hang in there!! 


	20. Nobody Does It Better

C.C. hugged herself tightly. She felt so alone. A knock came on her door. It was Niles. She opened the door for him. "C.C., sweetie, what's the matter? Everyone knows your not sick. Please tell me whats going on."  
"I-I can't. You'll get hurt." She said. He shook his head. "Please."  
She thought for a while. "Listen Niles" she said, "I will tell you, but I have to do something first." He nodded, not too happy about her decision to postpone it. She got dressed, and got out of the hotel. Calling a cab she asked him to drive her to the ghetto part of Chicago. She had been in one of these places before, and she knew how to handle herself. Stepping out of the car, she looked around for the nearest weapon store. She finally spotted one that said, 'McCarthy's Guns n Stuff'  
Grimacing at the uncreative name, she walked into the store. A huge man with tattoos all over his body stood at the counter. She walked over to him. "Give me the smallest most powerful gun in here."  
He looked at her awkwardly, but after a minute or two he handed her a small handgun. "Works like a charm" he said, and spat the tobacco he was chewing onto the ground. She thanked him, and paid the unreasonably high price for the gun. She tucked it under her jacket, and then walked out of the store. She felt protected now. She called a cab again, and rode back to the Holiday Inn.  
When she got there, she ran up to her hotel room where Niles was sitting on the loveseat by her bed. He looked up, held out his arms, and said, "Come here, C.C."  
She sat on his lap, and rested her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair and held her close. "Tell me what happened." She told her story gradually, and he began to get angrier and angrier at every word she spoke. He held her tighter, and cursed graphically under his breath. "But Niles," she said, "I think they're going to come after me. I'm so scared. I don't want to be-  
"Don't even talk like that!" He said, suddenly grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her, "I'll be here, honey, nothing will happen."  
"I'm so lucky to have you." Said C.C., and gave him a peck on the lips.  
"And I you." He replied.  
He rocked her back and forth, and they sat like that for quite a while. C.C. had fallen asleep, so he picked her up and gently set her on the bed. He lay next to her.  
C.C. woke up about three am. She was feeling stressed, and decided she would go take a swim in the hotel pool. She put on her bathing suit, and grinned gently at the sight of a sleeping Niles. She kissed him on the forehead, and exited the hotel room. She walked outside to the pool, towel in hand. She lowered into the water, and swam a lap. "Mind if I join you?" she heard a voice from behind. She turned and saw Fran standing at the edge.  
"No, come on in." C.C. replied. Fran lowered into the pool and swam over to her.  
"Tell me" she simply said.  
C.C. looked at her questioningly. Fran rolled her eyes.  
"You weren't really sick. I want to know whats wrong, and I know you already told Niles so he'll tell me eventually if you don't" she snapped, then her tone softened, "sorry, I'm just stressed about Maxwell, ya know?"  
C.C. patted her shoulder, "I know. And I will tell her." So C.C. tells her story yet again, only she told Fran that she got a gun.  
"Smart" said Fran giving her a thumbs up, "but the trial is coming soon, all you have to do is avoid them for a couple of days."  
"You're right. But Fran, I need to ask you a question. Are you and Max really splitting up?" she asked.  
A tear ran down Fran's face. "Honestly, C.C., I don't know. I just don't know. Probably. I knew my life wouldn't be a fairy tale, but I didn't expect this. Ma is going to kill me. Well I better go inside. Night, hun."  
"But wa-"C.C. started, but Fran cut her off.  
"Please don't. I don't feel like talking. Nothing personal. See you in the morning." Fran then grabbed her towel and walked inside. C.C. swore she heard her stifle a sob. She felt really bad, for herself and her friend. C.C. got out of the pool, dried and just lay there on a chair. As she stood up to go walk in, she felt arms wrap around her. She was about to scream when she noticed it was Niles, and fell gently into his embrace. He nibbled gently on her ear and said, "may I have this dance?" She grinned. He spun her around, and sang to her:  
  
Nobody does it better  
  
Makes me feel sad for the rest.  
  
Nobody does it half as good as you.  
  
Baby, you're the best.  
  
I wasn't lookin' but somehow you found me.  
  
I tried to hide from your love light,  
  
But like heaven above me the spy who loved me  
  
Is keepin' all my secrets safe tonight.  
  
And nobody does it better  
  
Though sometimes I wish someone could.  
  
Nobody does it quite the way you do.  
  
Did you have to be so good?  
  
The way that you hold me whenever you hold me.  
  
There's some kind of magic inside you  
  
That keeps me from runnin' but just keep it comin'  
  
How'd you learn to do the things you do?  
  
And nobody does it better  
  
Makes me feel sad for the rest.  
  
Nobody does it half as good as you.  
  
Baby, baby, darlin' you're the best.  
  
Baby you're the best.  
  
Baby you're the best.  
  
Baby you're the best.  
  
Darlin' you're the best.  
  
Darlin' you're the best.  
  
Baby you're the best.  
  
Baby you're the best  
  
Note: Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be up in two weeks, I'm going through a big move and got a lot of stuff to do. I'm really sorry, but after chapter 21, they'll be moving really fast, the story ends at chapter 30! Hugs and kisses, I'm out. 


	21. Thoughts and Cures

C.C. stared up at the ceiling. She shivered slightly under the comforter. She felt warm breath on her neck. She turned to see Niles, the man she had just made love to. She kissed his lips and rested her head on his shoulder, on arm across his stomach. He tucked his arm behind her head. She wondered why this was all happening. Why her father was threatening her again, why Maxwell would try to take the children from Fran, and why Gracie had suddenly had come in touch with real life. It was so strange to think that the scars on her arms from her cutting were only pieces of a shattered memory. She shifted in Niles grip, and stared at them. She wished, she just wished nothing had ever happened. Her father never abused her, her mother never died. That she never was C.C. Babcock. That she was just a simple, carefree person. The thought seemed so impossible to her at the time.  
  
Everything's so blurry  
  
And everyones so fake  
  
And everybodys empty  
  
And everything is so messed up  
  
Warm tears made their way down her cheeks. She tried to wipe them away, only succeeding in waking up Niles. He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her. "C.C., baby, whats the matter?"  
"I just- I just- can't anymore. I cant keep worrying about you and fran, I really don't want you to get hurt! And these, oh god these!" she pointed to the cuts.  
He wrapped his arms around her. "We'll be fine, C.C., just fine. I can do nothing about these, though. Except-  
He stopped abruptly and took her arm. She was confused. "N- niles what are you d-doing?" she asked.  
He looked up at her, and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "Making it all better."  
He started to kiss her arm. C.C. was shocked, but it made her feel so much better. After he was done, she lay on his chest, silently crying tears of happiness and thanking him. He stroked her golden hair. "I love you. I would do anything for you, you don't need to thank me. Shhhh."  
"I love you Niles." She whispered. They kissed.  
  
Been occupied without you  
  
I cannot live at all  
  
My whole world surrounds you  
  
I stumble and I crawl  
The next day was the day before the trial. C.C. was nervous, and protective of everyone around her. She had to stay with Niles every second, keep the children under supervision, and convince Fran to come out of her room to be with them. The six ate meals in silence, worried for C.C. and for Fran. They all retreated back to their rooms, despite C.C.'s protest.  
Later, C.C. sat in Frans hotel room, talking with her. She tapped her feet anxiously on the ground. "Do you think the children will be alright alone?" she asked for the hundredth time.  
"They'll be fine, C.C., they'll be fine" said Fran, touching her arm.  
"Oh I'm sorry Fran, you've been undergoing all this stress and I'll I've-  
She was cut off from her apology by a knock on the door. Fran nodded to C.C. and she got up. Looking in the peephole she gasped. On the other side of the door was Maxwell. 


	22. Surprise Visit

C.C. backed away from the door.

"Whats wrong?" asked Fran in her nasally voice.

"I-Its Maxwell." She answered.

Fran looked at her with big eyes. Then, in a hoarse voice she replied, "let him in."

C.C. nodded, twisted the knob, and let the door creak open. C.C. gasped. Maxwell looked like a wreck. He was wearing a pair of torn, dirty jeans, and a huge sweatshirt that had a large rip in the sleeve. His hair was mussed up, and he had a cut just below his lower lip.

"Fran, darling, I'm sorry. I need you!" he wailed. Fran had a sudden urge to just run into his arms, clean him up, kiss him, hold him, make wild passionate love to him.......but then she thought about all he had done to her, and merely crossed her arms.

"Oh, so NOW you need me." She said sarcastically, glaring at him.

C.C., not wanting to be caught in the middle of World War Three, backed out of the hotel room, but not after saying, "I'll just leave you two alone."

She jogged out of the room, glancing nervously behind her. She finally got to her room, and thankfully Niles wasn't there. She needed to be alone, out of sight, out of the picture. She lay on her bed, and buried her face in a pillow. Crying silently, she could her Fran's screams at Maxwell six rooms away:

"What the hell do you mean you didn't know?! Of course you did! You ungrateful bastard! Stupid Brit! I can't even-

Unable to take it no longer, she ran out onto the deck. Fran's screams that reminded her so much of her parents fights drifted away. She sank down to her knees, determined not to cry**. **She looked at the sky with a far away look in her eyes. She wondered if she should just end it all. Right now. Slit her wrists and get it over with. But no, she had Niles. He loved her. He would never forgive her if she did this to him. Never. Her sobs returned as she thought about the men that had threatened her, and all of her friends. She didn't want Niles to get hurt. She didn't want Fran or any of the children to get hurt. She didn't even want Maxwell to get hurt, after all he had done. Her cries became more violent, more body-wracking. She buried her face in her knees, and suddenly jerked her head up to look out angrily.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" she screamed, bringing her hands up to her tear-soaked face, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?! LEAVE ME ALONE! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

She retreated back to crying, until she felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder. She jumped, then slowly turned her head. Fran knelt beside her, a concerned look on her face. Neither said anything. Fran wrapped her arms around her friend, and C.C. buried her face in the crook of her neck.

Fran held her sobbing friend for a long while, as Maxwell watched the tender scene unfold in front of him. After C.C. had calmed down, she thanked Fran for holding her, and then went downstairs to the hotel café.

Fran sat down on her bed, and Maxwell was standing perfectly still by the balcony. "That was a really nice thing you did." He said softly.

She looked at him, a sober look in her big brown eyes. "Nice?!" she cried, "she's my friend! What the hell do you expect?! I can't believe you! You will always want me to be 'The Nanny'! Jesus, Max!"

He hung his head. "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry won't fix anything! I can't believe you want to take custody of the children! And to ask Sarah's parents to write a letter! I hate-

"WHAT?!" he screamed.

Fran looked at him. "What do you mean WHAT?"

"How the hell did they find out?!" he screamed.

"You mean you didn't call them?" Fran asked, shocked.

"Fran, I was angry, but even I wouldn't do that! Who the hell do they think they are?!" he screamed.

She looked up at him. "This softens it a little."

He cupped her face in his hands. "I never wanted to take away the children. I-I just overreacted a bit. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Fran. Fran, not The Nanny, Fran, my beautiful, intelligent, sexy wife." He then kissed her deeply.

After the kiss was done, Fran had a huge smile on her face. "Who-ha! That softened it even more!"

He then whispered briskly in her ear, "I'm sure it did. Oh, god, Fran, I want you so much right now."

She ran her fingers through his thick hair.

With a grin of satisfaction on her face, she said seductively, "Then take me."


	23. The Jury's Decision

"Will the defendant please rise?" asked C.C.'s lawyer. They had been in court for over three hours now, and the jury had finally come to a decision. Maxwell and Fran sat behind C.C., their arms around eachother in anticipation. D.D. and Noel were there too, along with all the children. C.C.'s heart jumped everytime someone talked, sneezed, or coughed.

C.C.'s father stood up, looking very official. Go figure. C.C. grimaced, and knitted her hands together anxiously.

"The jury finds the defendant, John Babcock, against the charges of Rape and abuse," the lawyer stopped, just for the effect, "Not Guilty."

An outbreak of shocked murmuring spread through out the court room. John smirked at C.C.

C.C. melted into a puddle on the floor, heartbroken. D.D. and Noel glared at John with pure outrage. The people on the jury looked very embarrassed.

The murmur grew louder, so it took three 'ORDER!'s from the judge to quiet it.

"Now" said the judge, bringing his spectacles up from the tip of his nose, "On behalf of the jury's decision, I have to say I find the defendant free of all charges, and apologize for-

But he was cut off, as someone burst through the courtroom door. C.C. gasped. It was Sarah Cottonwood, the woman who had wrote her a poem.

"Wait!" she gasped. She was grasping the arm of a young girl, probably 17 or 18.

The judge, who seemed rather amused (asshole), asked Sarah who the girl was.

Sarah's voice rang throughout the courtroom like a bell. "Jessica Babcock!"


	24. Dead Silence

Dead silence. All there was. Dead silence. C.C.'s mouth hung open.

A young girl who looked around twenty stood there. She was very beautiful, had a slim figure, and had soft long golden hair, and sky blue eyes.

"Mom." There was one word. C.C. ran over and hugged her. She stood back and stared at her.

"I can't believe- do you know- do you know who your father is?" C.C. asked.

Jessica made a disgusted face and nodded.

"That bastard." She stated, and pointed at John. The judge just looked at her.

"Well this certainly changes things," he said, "please take this young lady to the lab for a DNA test. A small recess will be held, court a-

Before the judge could finish, a loud gunshot rang through the air. John Babcock had ripped a gun from his jacket, and shot Jessica.

"MY BABY!" C.C. screamed. He didn't even get a chance to say something snide, she pounced. C.C. knocked him to the ground. She kneed him hard in the crotch, and punched him square in the nose. She punched both of his eyes, and kicked him in the stomach. Before she could do anymore, the security guards pulled her off.

"That's right" he hissed, "be the little bitch you always were."

This time, Fran rose from the stands and charged. She kicked him in the backside with her heel, and knocked him face first on the ground. A few guards grabbed her.

"Oh, I see you have a little slutty friend to help you." He snapped. Maxwell and Gracie ran from the pews and at him. Gracie punched him in the stomach, and Maxwell threw his shoe at him.

"Little girl deserves to be raped!" yelled John, not really caring that he was getting his ass kicked. Then he realized what he just said, and went pale.

Sarah Cottonwood threw both of her heels at him. D.D. and Noel threw their shoes at him also. Niles pounced on him, and kicked him in every possible place, until the guards pulled him off. The courtroom was getting loud with screams and chants.

John, lying on the ground, rose his beaten face to C.C., and she smashed her heel into it.

The judge, boiling mad, yet somehow impressed, fired his own gun in the air to get attention.

"GUARDS THROW HIM IN JAIL!" he screamed. C.C. ran into Niles arms. She slapped high fives with Sarah. Tears were streaming down her face.

Niles embraced her in his arms until there was nothing but silence. Dead silence.


	25. Tough

"Everything ready, Miss Babcock?" asked Fran, entering her room. C.C. smiled weakly and picked up her suitcase.

"Yep."

"Miss Babcock, I-I am truly sorry. These past years have been difficult between us, and I'm sorry it took something drastic to realize our friendship." Fran said, sounding a lot like Oprah.

C.C. crossed the room and hugged her quickly.

"It's fine, hun, why dwell on the past?" she said, then hesitated for a moment, "I definitely don't want to."

Before Fran could say another word, Niles came through the door. "Ready to go, sweet?" C.C. nodded before kissing him fully on the lips. Fran left to go consult with Maxwell.

"Oh and I-'

Niles was interrupted by a high pitched scream that sounded a lot like Maggie.

The couple looked at each other before evacuating the room in a high speed frenzy.

Notes: Yes I know I'm evil. There are only five chapters to go though. The next one will be up by Thursday. Love you guys!!!


	26. Maggie!

C.C. was running so fast. She was jumping down every three steps, not even stopping to consider there was an elevator.

She gasped when she finally arrived at her destination. She was down in the hotel lobby, where a group of people were crying. Standing in the center was her father, his hair everywhere, eyes bloodshot. He was drunk. He held Maggie at gunpoint.

"I thought you were in jail," said C.C., full of fear. _Where are fran and Maxwell when I need them? _She thought wildly. Niles was right behind her, steaming with rage.

"A man with money can get any where he wants" he replied.

"You bastard!" she screamed, she ripped out her cellphone, punched the number for 911, and gave the phone to Niles.

"put the phone away, or this girl's head is going to be blown off." He hissed.

Niles slowly put away the cellphone, but leaving it slightly open so the people on the other end of the line could hear what was going on.

C.C. maneuvered closer to her father.

"Move back! Or I'll rape this little slut right here!" he boomed. A rather old lady sitting on the floor gasped.

"You stupid fu-"

But before she could finish her father, still holding Maggie, gave her a swift kick in the stomach. "Be daddy's little good girl."

Niles started toward him.

"Get away, old man, or both of these women will be dead."

Niles foot shook in anticipation. Where were the police?

John knelt between Maggie and C.C., holding both arms around their necks. "Now you come with me, and no one will get hurt."

C.C. was getting pretty pissed off, and decided to ignore the fact that her father had a fully loaded gun.

"Unhand the girl, dad." C.C. hissed.

He smiled sweetly at her, put his hand up, and shot the gun at Niles. A bullet hit him in the shoulder, and he stumbled back, wacked his head on the wall, and slumped to the floor, unconscious.

"NILES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Maggie.

C.C. was REALLY mad now.

"Hey dad, can I tell you something?" she said.

He nodded thoughtfully, his finger inches from the trigger.

"You can rape me, you can hit me, but you will _never _hurt a child I love, and you will _never _shoot the man I love." With that, she placed her hand on the barrel of the gun (don't try this at home) holding it tightly.

He grinned. "You wanna hole blown through your hand?" he hissed.

C.C. grimaced inside at the mere thought of what she was about to do. She had to do it though, to save Maggie.

She leaned forward swiftly, and kissed him fully on the lips. When she felt him weaken in surprise, she ripped the gun from his hand, and then removed her mouth from his. She kicked him hard in the chest with her spiked heel, and stood over him triumphantly.

"Boy did I enjoy that honey!" he cried, a little angry.

She growled and stabbed her heel into his mouth. Blood began to pour from his tongue. She then took the gun and shot him in the head.

Sirens wailed outside. The police were there.


	27. Good Riddance

C.C. dropped the gun with a trembling hand, and stared upon her father. "Good riddance" she said, then turned to Maggie, "are you okay?"

Maggie's hand came to her mouth, and she crawled over to C.C. She snaked her arms around the older woman's neck, and nestled her head in her shoulder comfortably. She began to cry.

C.C. encircled her arms around the girl. "It's okay, It's okay." She soothed.

All of a sudden, important-looking policeman marched through the door. "What happened here?" one of them boomed.

C.C. all of a sudden remembered Niles being shot in the shoulder. "Him! Officer, please, save him!"

One of them, who appeared to be the medic, kneeled down and checked his pulse. "Nothing to worry about ma'am, just a bullet wound and slight head trauma."

"What happened to him?" the one with the loud voice, once again, boomed.

"He was our attacker" Maggie piped up, "she saved us."

"That's John Babcock, right?" said the officer.

C.C. nodded.

"And your- his daughter! Wow, C.C. Babcock. Pleased to meet you, I'm Officer Carter."

C.C. shook his hand rather reluctantly. "Can we please get some help with him?" she said, pointing to Niles.

Ambulance sirens wailed in the background. "Already here, Ms. Babcock" said Officer Carter.

Right after the paramedics loaded Niles onto a gurney, a familiar couple walked through the door. "Daddy! Fran!" screamed Maggie, and wrapped her arms around both of them.

Fran turned to C.C. "What happened?" Before C.C. could reply, Brighton and Gracie burst through the hotel doors. They were all eager to know what happened.

Since Niles was unconscious and Maggie was not emotionally stable, C.C. decided she better be the one to explain.

She told them everything, every little detail.

After she was done, Brighton asked to speak to her privately.

"Yea Brighton?" she said, once they were in a tiny corner together.

"That was awesome, Ms. Babcock. You saved both of my sisters, and I just wanted to tell you alone so dad wouldn't completely destroy my ego."

"Your welcome....B." she said. He cracked a small smile, and they hugged.

C.C. went over to talk to Fran.

"You know we'll have to delay the flight until tomorrow because Niles is in the hospital" said Fran.

C.C. nodded.

Fran rubbed her arm. "That must of taken a lot of guts, to well, you know-

"Kill him." C.C. finished for her, "actually it was pretty easy. The weird thing is, I thought I would feel completely horrible doing it, I mean he is my father. Is it possible to not love somebody that your related to?"

"When he is as slimy as your father was, yes it is." Fran said.

C.C. smiled a little.

"Well, for the time being, we should go get something to eat. And we have to renew our hotel room paying thingy." Fran said.

"Anything you say, darling" said Maxwell, "but I advise we eat first."

"Well said" said Gracie, Brighton, Maggie, and C.C. in unison. They then burst out laughing.

Fran and Maxwell gave eachother a knowing glance, and beckoned the four out to dinner.

As C.C. passed Niles gurney, she kissed him lightly on the forehead. "I love you." She said.


	28. Popping the question

Lunch went by very quickly, yet the food was delicious. They renewed their stay at the hotel, and everyone retreated to their rooms to watch old sitcoms. C.C. lay on her bed, blindly watching an old episode of 'All in the family'. She looked to her side, to see an imprint of Niles body on the bed. Well in her imagination. She knew he was going to be okay, but a little voice in the back of her head nagged that something could go wrong and he could die. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. Those horrible thoughts soon thinned when Fran knocked on her door, announcing it was dinner time.

They ate dinner in one of the hotel restaurants. C.C. ate so much:

A meat empanada

A bread roll with lots of butter

A salad drenched in oil and vinegar

Lamb in maple syrup sauce, surrounded by mushrooms

Chocolate cake soaked in chocolate sauce

Wine

Finally, with a full stomach, C.C. collapsed into bed.

C.C. awoke promptly at dawn from her bed. She was supposed to go pick up Niles. Getting dressed in a jean skirt and white blouse, she was out the door in two seconds. She knocked on Fran's door and told her they should get dressed because their flight was at two pm.

She called a cab and took it to the hospital. She quickly ran through the double doors, and into the elevator. She waited impatiently.

Finally it opened, and she ran through the doors, and to Niles room: 765. She entered, and he smiled at her. "Hey baby."

She bent down and kissed him softly. "Ready to go? I brought you some clothes." She handed him a white T-shirt and some jeans. As she bent over to pick up the bag, he whistled.

She blushed.

"You shouldn't be wearing a skirt that short" he teased.

She bit her lip in amusement, and.....perhaps.....excitement. He sat up in his bed, and began to stroke her bikini line. She giggled, and fell back on his lap. She could feel his hardness against her. A shiver of pleasure ran up her spine.

He began to kiss her neck, his arm around her midsection. She pulled her underwear off under her skirt, and turned around so she was facing Niles. She raised his hospital gown and.........well......you can imagine the rest.

After their encounter, both panting, Niles began to dress. C.C. wiped her sweaty hands on her skirt.

Niles then turned to face her. "Sweetie?" he asks.

"Yea?"

Without hesitation, he draws out a black velvet box from beneath his pillow. "Will you marry me?"

She looked at the sparkling engagement ring, and looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "Yes!" she cried, and jumped into his arms.


	29. Baby, Baby

As Niles and C.C. walked from the hospital room, arms around eachother, C.C. had a terrible cramping in her stomach. "What's the matter, sweet?" asked Niles. C.C. shook her head, "Ow."

Soon, Niles was in the waiting room of the E.R. At that moment, the door burst open, and a bunch of medics were wheeling Fran, groaning, on a gurney through the hospital doors. Maxwell rushed by her side, but stopped when the doctors told him to wait. He quickly saw Niles, and went over to sit with him.

"Hey old man" he said, "how are you feeling? No wait, why are you in here?"

"Fine" said Niles quickly, "and C.C. had a terrible pain in her stomach, after we, um, well.....never mind, but they rushed her down to the E.R."

Maxwells face dawned a look of surprise. "Fran had cramping pains too."

Niles shrugged, and the two of them waited in anticipation for their women. Soon C.C. and Fran, both beaming, strolled out of the E.R.

Maxwell and Niles asked them what was wrong. Turns out, they were both pregnant. Niles and C.C. told Maxwell and Fran of their future marriage, and soon Brighton, Gracie, and Maggie knew. They had rushed to the E.R. when they heard of what had happened.

"Hey" said Fran, looking at her wristwatch, "it's only 1:15. I think we can still make the flight."

Everyone nodded, stopped at the hotel to pick up their bags, and checked out. They took two separate cabs, since there were seven of them, and soon were at the airport. It was 1:45. They quickly dashed through security, and arrived at the gate at 1:56. All panting with relief, they boarded the flight, laughing hysterically.

Note: ONE more chapter guys! One more chapter!!!


	30. Tomorrow

C.C. buckled herself into the plane seat. She sat between Fran and Maggie. Fran had already fallen asleep, and was snoring very loudly. She saw Niles a couple seats over, rubbing his hands together nervously. She knew he always hated flying. C.C. turned back, and all of a sudden the pilot's voice came over the intercom, "takeoff in one minute. Please make sure everyone is buckled in."

The takeoff made Niles shriek like a girl (very amusing to hear, but C.C. loved him anyway) and made C.C.'s stomach do a cartwheel. They were soon flying among the clouds.

"Lovely day, right?" said Fran, now awake. C.C. smiled a bit. It was over. Everyone was safe. Well, for the time being. No one is ever safe. You are always at risk. C.C. turned toward the stewardess.

"Scuse me?" she said. The stewardess turned.

"Could I get a drink?" she asked.

"Yes of course, what would you like?"

"Anything with alcohol please" C.C. stated.

She heard Niles chuckling . C.C. playfully threw a piece of crumpled paper at him.

"We'll go out tomorrow okay?" said Fran to C.C.

"Okay."

"Because, well, duh, we'll be in New York by then" Fran said, not really making any sense. Then again, some things in life never make sense.

"How do you know?" C.C. said, as the stewardess handed her a cup of whiskey.

"What?" said Fran incredulously.

"It's just that, we'll never know what tomorrow could bring. Tomorrow we could all be dead, crashed into the ground. We don't know. Tomorrow always holds danger, suspense."

Fran looked at her. "Um, sure. I think their having a sale at Loehmann's anyway."

C.C. finished her whiskey and rolled her eyes. She decided to take a nap. Did she arrive in New York the next day? Only tomorrow will tell. Somehow things were right, but not all right. I'll tell you that there was a sale at Fran's favorite store, and they did get in New York. But this is a story. What will happen with you tomorrow?

And I wanna believe you,  
When you tell me that it'll be ok,  
Ya I try to believe you,  
But I don't  
  
When you say that it's gonna be,  
It always turns out to be a different way,  
I try to believe you,  
Not today, today, today, today, today...

_**I don't know how to feel,  
tomorrow, tomorrow,  
I don't know what to say,  
tomorrow, tomorrow  
Is a different day  
  
It's always been up to you,  
It's turning around,  
It's up to me,  
I'm gonna do what I have to do,  
just do  
  
Gimme a lil time,  
Leave me alone a little while,  
Maybe it's not too late,  
not today, today, today, today, today...**_

I don't know how to feel,  
tomorrow, tomorrow,  
I don't know what to say,  
tomorrow, tomorrow  
Is a different day  
  
And I know I'm not ready,  
Maybe tomorrow  
  
And I wanna believe you,  
When you tell me that it'll be ok,  
Ya I try to believe you,  
Not today, today, today, today, today...

_**Tomorrow.**_

_**Niles and C.C.**_

_**Always.**_

**__**

**_Notes: THANKYOU ALL REVIEWERS! I WILL LOVE AND REMEMBER YOU FOREVER OK WELL IM BEING OBNOXIOUS BUT THANKYOU THIS IS MY LONGEST PIECE ABOUT N/CC AND I HOPED YOU ALL ENJOYED THE SONGS I USED (NOT MINE BY THE WAY) BUT ANYWAYS I LOVE YOU GUYS FOR REVIEWING AND IF YOU WANT ME TO WRITE MORE N/CC JUST SAY SO!!!! THANKYOU SO MUCH!! FROM MAY-NOVEMBER MY LOYAL FANS!_**


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